Side-by-side comparison of Cary, NC and Jacksonville, NC — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Jacksonville has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.83% compared to Cary's 3.05%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $480,000 in Cary vs $210,000 in Jacksonville, while rents come in at $1,920/mo and $1,200/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Cary is growing faster at 2.4% annually vs Jacksonville's 1.2%. Cary leads on home value appreciation at 3.4% per year. Strong population growth typically translates to sustained rental demand and long-term price support.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.77% in Cary vs 0.78% in Jacksonville. Vacancy rates of 3.8% and 6.5% are mixed — Cary has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Cary edges out Jacksonville on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.05%, Cary's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Cary or Jacksonville.